Cheers to Critters and Seven Months

I love my critique groupers. They have given a whole new light to my attempts at writing. I feel like I am really in it now, that progress will be made...someday.  In fact, I am so appreciative for their feedback,  I feel like I should give them a new cuddly nickname like my critters. I love my critters. They do make me feel warm and fuzzy, just like this guy. Thanks ladies!

One thing I must say however is, never open critiques on a big day like your anniversary, or your birthday or your niece's bat mitzvah. Your insides will surely shrivel like a grape in the sun if you are in the wrong emotional state. This is my FIRST RULE OF FIGHT WRITE CLUB.

As  I mentioned in a previous post, if you aren't able to find me at my new writing station, you can probably find me hiding under here.

This is exactly where my loved ones found me this last Saturday, wallowing in self-pity. I know, I know. Ridiculous. The good news is, it only lasted a few hours, or perhaps several hours, okay, maybe a day.

If that was the first rule, the SECOND RULE OF FIGHT WRITE CLUB is:

Don't query manuscripts before you have found your voice. (At least this is a rule I have set for myself.)

How many queries have I sent out with manuscripts written in the world's most awkward voice? Too many. I have one thing to say about me finding my own voice:

 I stinkith so mucheth it hurteth.

I have a dark side. When I say dark side, I mean I like writing about homeless men...who are chipper.=) But I do so much like to write about more serious subject matter than the content of this blog tends to be. It just doesn't come as natural. What can I say? I just feel so comfy-cozy here in the blogosphere... So, I wonder, how do I transfer this thing called voice from my blog to my manuscripts while still touching on those serious issues that interest me?

Maybe it would be easier if I were to make it official by giving my desired transition a title:

Operation Transfer Blog Voice to Children's Book Manuscripts.

(OTBVCBM..which by the way, is just as hard for me to remember as the SCBWI acronym.)

 I just don't get it. It's hard. At least for me it's hard.

To me, I can equate finding my voice hard to trying to learn the SUBJUNCTIVE in Spanish hard. So abstract, so unattainable, so torturous! Will it ever happen? When Universe, when?

THIRD AND FINAL RULE OF FIGHT WRITE CLUB (at least for today):

Give yourself some time to develop as a writer, Elizabeth Stevens Omlor.

I have been attempting to write for children for seven months. SEVEN MONTHS! Sometimes I forget that. I think of one of my favorite authors, Cynthia Rylant, who sent her first book off and then two months later it was on its way to being published. I want to be Cynthia Rylant! Don't you?

Must I toil? Must I suffer? Must I keep complaining? =) NO!

To make myself feel better, I've decided to make a list of all the things that take longer than seven months to develop/accomplish:

• a human being in utero (I love that word, utero.)
• an elephant in utero (Yowza! Two years is it? No wonder they're so amazing.)
• a foreign langauge (Do you hear that public education policy makers?! (Me tardo tanto aprender el idioma. Si, es cierto. No estoy bromeando. La unica cosa es que no se poner la puntuacion correcta en Blogger.)
• algebra skills  (Good Lord do they take longer than seven months. Hyperventilation has begun, along with flashbacks.  "Please don't make me solve for x, Mr. Wenzel!" )
•  shedding baby weight in the real world...(If it took you less time, I'd definitely prefer not to hear about it or see any pictures.)
• I'm beginning to feel better about myself
• my daughter's bangs after an experimental self-trim (first AND second time)
• learning to walk (unless you are a furry, four legged animal)
• learning how to park without hitting the surrounding parked cars (Or was that just me? Yikes! I ALWAYS left a note.)
• sewing skills (Eh.)
• disposable diaper decomposition (But they are so easy! Sorry Mother Earth.)

I am sure there is so much more to add to this list. If you can think of any others, please by any means, let me know. My self-esteem will thank you.

Now, the real reason for this post...the book giveaway!

You read. (past tense)
You laughed.
You cried.
You wrote witty remarks in...CAVE MAN!

It was a tight race, but the winner of the Me Want Pet! book giveaway was....

Penny Klostermann

Congratulations Penny! If you missed her comments you must go take a look. I was very impressed. I was actually so impressed by all the funny posts that my Laugh-O-Meter needs replacing!

I have just opted to use  Random.org for future contests. Which reminds me, if you haven't yet, make sure you read and comment on Lori Degman's post. She is giving away a copy of her book, 1 Zany Zoo and a critique for a rhyming picture book!

One last tid-bit....next Tuesday, March 20th, I will be featured on Julie Hedlund's blog, Write Up My Life! Her Tuesday series spotlights pre-published authors and I would LOVE to see you there!
Happy Friday!